It is known that to be able to comply with the ever more stringent exhaust standards for internal combustion engines, in particular for diesel engines, the respective exhaust system may be equipped with an oxidizing catalytic converter, a particulate filter and an SCR catalyst, where SCR stands for “selective catalytic reaction.” Upstream from this SCR catalyst, a suitable reducing agent, preferably urea, is sprayed into the exhaust stream. Then with the help of the reducing agent, effective degradation of nitrogen oxides is performed in the SCR catalyst. Such exhaust systems are comparatively complex due to the plurality of components and also take up a great deal of space. Therefore, there has been a search for the most compact possible means of achieving this object. In addition, during operation of the exhaust system, residues that cannot be incinerated in the respective particulate filter are deposited, causing progressive clogging of the flow cross section of the particulate filter. Accordingly, maintenance must be performed occasionally, at which time the particulate filter is cleaned or replaced with a new one. As part of conventional maintenance on an internal combustion engine or a vehicle equipped with same, it is desirable to minimize the required assembly complexity.